Fish Oil, the Answer to the Baby Blues

Postpartum depression usually occurs because your body gave up the oils in your brain (which come from fish oil) so the baby could make its brain. That was nicely self sacrificing of you, but you need to eat more fish so your brain will recover—and it will with eating enough fish or fish oil.

To prevent or treat postpartum depression, consider:

1. Fish oil 1-2 tsp a day during pregnancy and 1 tablespoon a day afterwards untill depression lifts.

2. Bioidentical Progesterone (from a holistic physician).

3. Take the Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder.

4. Optimize thyroid hormone with prescription Armour thyroid—even if blood levels are "normal."

5. Walk at least 30 minutes a day outside in the sun.

In an 8-week, randomized, dose-ranging pilot trial involving 16 mothers with postpartum depression, supplementation with fish oil was very helpful. Subjects were randomized into 3 groups that received varying dosages of omega-3 fatty acids. Six subjects consumed 0.5 grams per day, 3 subjects consumed 1.4 grams per day, and 7 subjects consumed 2.8 grams per day. For all 3 groups, the depression scores dropped by around 50%.1

In another study of 24 women with major depression during pregnancy given fish oil (approximately 1 tsp) or placebo for 8 weeks, the fish oil was significantly more effective than placebo (remember, Prozac overall is not significantly more effective than placebo).2

A third large, multi-country observational study of postpartum depression found that eating more seafood was associated with a lower risk of postpartum depression.3

In addition to fish oil, be sure thyroid levels are optimized (having your labs be "within normal limits" is not enough). Adding natural bio-identical progesterone (NOT synthetic Provera which I feel is dangerous) can also help, as can overall nutritional support with the Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder. For example, those with optimal levels of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) had half the risk of developing postpartum depression.4

For more information on healthy pregnancy, see How To Have A Healthy Pregnancy—Naturally.

For information on treating infertility, see Effective Natural Treatment for Infertility.

References:

1"Randomized dose-ranging pilot trial of omega-3 fatty acids for postpartum depression," Freeman MP, Hibbeln JR, et al, Acta Psychiatr Scand., 2006; 113(1): 31-5.

2"Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Major Depressive Disorder During Pregnancy: Results From a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial," Su KP, Huang SY, et al, J Clin Psychiatry, 2008, Mar 18;

3"Hibbeln JR. Seafood consumption, the DHA content of mother's milk and prevalence rates of postpartum depression: a cross-national, ecological analysis." J Affect Disord. 2002;69:15-29.

4"Dietary folate and vitamins B(12), B(6), and B(2) intake and the risk of postpartum depression in Japan: The Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study," Miyake Y, Sasaki S, et al, J Affect Disord., 2006 June 29; [Epub ahead of print].